Neoprincipia nov. gen., a new Mississippian red alga, and remarks on the Archaeolithophyllaceae (Rhodophyta)

A new alga is described from the late Visean of SW Spain: Neoprincipia nov. gen. Specimens of this new genus were either usually assigned to Archaeolithophyllum or Principia of Brigantian-Serpukhovian age. Two new species N. guadiatica nov. gen., nov. sp. and N. tethysiana nov. gen., nov. sp. are described. Their massive appearance, in continuous series, characterizes the base of the Brigantian elsewhere in the Paleotethys, although some rare cases of first appearance in the late Asbian exist. Its acme is Brigantian, but it extends into the Pendleian. The genus Neoprincipia, and its family Archaeolithophyllaceae, are interpreted to be the earliest true red algae, that exhibit clearly differentiated hypothallus and perithallus, and therefore are situated at the origin of these “coralline algae”, which are very prolific from the Cretaceous to the Recent.